Expressing press



Oct. 24, 1961 A. w. FRENCH EXPRESSING PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9.- 1955 VINVENTOR. ALFRED w. FRENCH ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1961 A. w. FRENCH 3,005,401

EXPRESSING PRESS Filed Feb. 9, 1955 FIG-5 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-2 14 INVENTOR.

17 90 45 BY 51 ALFRED w. FRENCH ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1961 A. w. FRENCH EXPRESSING PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 9, 1955 PHQ mm Mm f M m# mo I ATTOR NEYS Oct. 24, 1961 A. w. FRENCH EXPRESSING PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 9, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

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ALFRED W. FRENCH NTQE W OE

ATTORNEYS nited States Patent 3,005,401 EXPRESSING PRESS Alfred W. French, Piqua, Ohio, assignor to The French Oil Mill Machinery Company, Piqua, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 9, 1955, Ser. No. 487,138 4 Claims. (Cl. 100-93) This invention relates to an expressing press and, more particularly, to a mechanical or screw press of the type adapted for expressing liquids from liquid-containing ma terials by forcing the material through a cage under pressure by which liquid is squeezed from the material and escapes through drainage openings in the walls of the cage.

In such liquid expressing presses there is a cage having a strong outer frame within which is. an annular lining constructed of a plurality of bars arranged lengthwise of the cage and separated by narrow spaces which form the drainage apertures or escape openings for the expressed liquid. The liquid containing material is forced axially through the cage by a rotating screw or worm impeller arrangement which feeds material into-the cage as a relatively loose mass and forces it through: the cage toward a restricted discharge opening at the other end thereof. The pressure and feed Worm or screw have a plurality of stages of increasing diameter to subject the material to progressively increased expressing and compacting pressures as it advances through the cage toward the discharge end thereof.

In general, it is desirable to obtain the maximum yield of expressed liquid of proper quality from the liquidcontaining material without, however, detrimentally affecting the quality of product as by subjecting it to too high temperature.

According to the present invention, the number of pres sure stages or sections in an expressing press is increased and the ratios of the axial extent of low pressure sections and increasing high pressure sections are correlated to provide for additional liquid extraction yield without objectionable temperature rise. Furthermore the appa ratus according to the invention provides for subjecting the material to high pressure for a longer time and greater extent of its travel through the'press in high pressure sections as a part of the press or asextensions beyond the end of existing presses, and provides for cooling or other temperature control of the additional or extension sections to obtain additional liquid extraction under prolonged high pressure without detriment to the high quality of product desired. For example, considering cottonseed oil, a conventional mechanical screw type expressing press having four 11" sections of expressing length and an initial auxiliary section permits recovery of a satisfactory product down to about 4% residual oil in the discharged solid cake, whereas extending such a press with the construction according to the invention will reduce the residual oil content, to about 3 /2% with five such expressing sections and 3% or lower with six such sections.

It is accordingly, an object of this invention to provide, in a liquid expressing press of the character described, additional expressing pressure means for subjecting liquid-containing materialto progressively higher liquid expressing pressures through an increased plurality of pressure stages for enhanced liquid recovery.

Another object of this invention is to provide an extension cage construction adapted to be fitted to existing liquid expressing presses of the character described without substantial alteration of the press to provide correlated additional increased progressive pressure steps for the material to be treated.

A further objectof this invention is to provide, in an expressing press of the character described a plurality of low and high pressure stages or sections the axial extent and varying expressing pressures of which are correlated to provide improved yield of expressed liquid. of satisfactory characteristics.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for enhanced yield of liquid recovery in which the material being processed is subjected to low and high pressures under controlled temperatures with the low pressure zone expressing the bulk of the liquid to be recovered? andv with thehigh pressure zone being of substantially greater extent than the low pressure zone.

A still further object of this. invention is to provide, for a liquid expressing press of the character described, an extension cage and pressure means adapted for mounting upon the end of existing presses and including means for readily opening the cage, means for controlling the temperature of material processed through the cage, and means for providing a substantially continuous and uninterrupted advancement of material to be processed through succeeding increasing pressure stages.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawing- FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a mechanical liquid expressing press embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the various stages or sections along the feed worm and drainage cages of a press embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section along the line 3-3 of FIG. 5 through an extension cage construction embodying the invention as applied at the discharge en of a liquid expressing press;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the construction of FIG. 3 with some parts omitted for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the discharge end of a press embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 is a composite transverse sectional view' of a construction embodying the invention, the left half of which is taken along the line fizz-6a of FIG. 3 and the right half of which is taken along the line 6b-6b of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a composite transverse sectional view of a construction embodying the invention the left half of which is taken along the line 7a-7a of FIG. 3 and the right half of which is taken along the line 7b'7b of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a split extension cage construction section embodying the invention taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary transverse section on an enlarged scale of a portion of a one-piece extension cage construction embodying the invention;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are elevational views of opposite sides of one-half of a split extension cage construction embodying the invention;

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of an optional motor drive for adjustment of a discharge cone of a press embodying the invention; and 4 FIG. 13 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a modification of the extension cage feed and pressure worm arrangement adapted for converting existing presses to embodying the invention. U

Referring to the drawing inwhich like, reference characters designate like partsthroughout the several views thereof, a liquid expressing press embodying, theinvention is illustrated generally in FIG. 1 as a. pressparticularly adapted for expressing; cottonseed. oil from, cooked cottonseed. meats. As illustrated, the, presshas. a main drive motor 10, transmission gear box 11, a main drainage cage section 12, an extension drainage cage section 13, and a discharge cone 14, all mounted on a base or main frame 15 having a main end frame 17. Liquid- -containing material to be processed enters the inlet end 18 of the press as from a cooker or other source 19, is forced through the main drainage cage section 12 and fthG 6Xl6I1SlOn cage section 13 to be discharged as a compressed cake from discharge cone 14, with the liquid expressed therefrom being collected and fed to suitable apparatus by the liquid collecting trough 26* extending 'under the various drainage cage sections 12 and 13.

The main cage section 12 comprises a plurality of axially disposed drainage bars arranged in a cylindrical configuration with minute spaces therebetween to form drainage apertures for liquid expressed from the material being froced through the cage by a rotating feed .and pressure worm construction. The cage is satisfactorily formed of two semicylindrical halves meeting each other in face-to-face relation along a diametric longitudinal vertical plane and affixed together at top and bottom as by bolts 21, and also has a plurality of longitudinally spaced radial ribs 22 containing passages through which coolant or other temperature controlling frnedium may be circulated-all substantially as taught by Patents No. 2,320,765, issued June 1, 1943, to Charles B. Upton, and No. 2,421,763, issued June 10, 1947, to .Forrest C. Simon. The material to be processed is fed axially through main cage section 12 from the inlet end 18 to the outlet end 14 by a multistage screw or worm .feeding and pressure impeller arrangement substantially as taught in Patent No. 2,335,819, issued November 30,

1943, to Charles B. Upton.

A satisfactory screw or worm impeller particularly adapted to the expressing of cottonseed oil from cooked cotton seed meats is illustrated in FIG. 2. Considering the impeller construction itself, it will be noted that it is made upof a feeding section 25 and a plurality of pressure collars 26-32 separated by screw collars 35-42 each-carrying worm flights 43.

"These various members are constructed as separate collars keyed to a main shaft 45, except for the feed 'section 25 which rotates freely on shaft 45 and is sepa- .rately driven at a ditferent speed than shaft 45 by motor 210 and transmission 11 which also drives shaft 45.

It will be noted that the diameters of pressure sections 7 2632 increase to provide increasing pressures to which the material is subjected as it is forced from left to right in the drawing by screw sections 25 and 35-42,

.and that the various pressure sections 2632 are followed by sections 36-42 of lesser diameter to form a .shoulder (e.g., between 26 and 36, 27 and 37, etc.) for resisting reverse passage of the material and some relaxation of radial pressure after each pressure collar and :before subjecting the material to the action of the next pressure collar.

In the construction indicated in FIG. 2, the main cage 12 is illustrated as being made up of four lengths of drainage bars arranged in end-to-end relation to form a cylindrical drainage cage of substantially uniform in- The longitudinal indicated in FIG. 2 by the plates 46 which hold the drainage bars in place in the semicylindrical casting 47,

as by means of screws 48. The plates 46 have radially inwardly extending breaker bar portions 49 to inhibit the tendency of the material being processed to rotate with the worm instead of being fed axially through the cage 12 by the Worm in accordance with the above mentioned patents. Separate collars 2632 and 35 -42, etc., as well as being keyed to shaft 45, are held axially .in place thereon by a retaining nut 50 threaded onto shaft 45 and having a neck portion 53.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, the construc- I 4 I tion of the extension cage portion 13 of a press embodying this invention is shown in more detail. Main shaft 45, as indicated in FIG. 3, extends beyond main cage section 12 through end frame 17 and carries worm flight collars 41 and 42, tapered collars 31 and 32 as well as collar 51 and discharge collar 52. A rotating fluidtight joint 55 is provided at the end of shaft 45 for the circulation of coolant or other temperature controlling medium through axial passages through main shaft 45.

As indicated in FIG. 3, the extension cage portions are all mounted on main end frame 17, and consist of two drainage cage sections of cage bars: A continuous or nonsplit section surrounding collar 41, and a split openable cage section surrounding collars 31, 42, and 32. These extension sections are mounted on main end frame 17, which is tied to the main portion of the press as by tie rods 60, by means of bolts 51 and 6 2, split cage bracket 63, and spacer 64.

Considering first the continuous or nonsplit cage sections surrounding collar 41, it will be noted that the main end frame 17 has a bore 70 through which drainage screen bars 71 extend. Bars 71 are affixed at one end by spacer bushing 72 and, at the other end, by bushing 72a on bracket 73 mounted on spacer 64 by bolts 62. Drainage passages 79a are formed in the main end frame 17. As indicated in more detail in FIG. 9, the bars 71 are substantially rectangular in cross section and are disposed in a cylindrical configuration providing drainage therebetween for fluid expressed from material being forced between collar 41 and screen bars 71. The bars may be additionally held in place by keystone type bars 74 affixed as by bolts 75 to the cage bracket.

Because of the size of bore 70 and the bracket con struction 72, 73, etc., the screen bars 71 have substantially the same dimensions as the corresponding screen bars in main cage 12, and provide a channel of uniform diameter as a continuation of main cage 12 for continued feeding of material therethrough substantially without relaxation of pressure thereon. Since the bars 71 extend through main frame 17 and are spaced from the main cage screen bars by bushing 72 which also has a through passage, they provide for continuous drainage of liquid as the liquid-containing material is continuously passed under pressure from main cage 12 to extension cage 13. Bracket 73 includes a plurality of axially spaced ribs having internal coolant circulation channels to which coolant is introduced through the nipple and T 81.

Spaces 800 between the ribs 80 provide drainage channels for liquid expressed from between bars 71 to flow into liquid collecting trough 20 and be carried by feed screw 82 therein to a suitable press liquid outlet.

The split extension cage section surrounding collars 31, 42, and 32 is constructed from two interfitting substantially semicylindrical cage members and 91, the outside and inside elevations of one of which are shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively, it being understood that the other cooperating member cage 91 is substantially the mirror image of the cage member 30 illustrated. Each of the members 90 and 91 comprises a plurality of drainage cage screen bars 92 mounted around the inside of the cage member and held in place by bolted face plates 93 and keystone members 94 mounted on bosses. 95 by means of bolts 96. Two of the face plates 93 carry radially inward extensions or breaker bars 97 interfitting between the paths of travel of the worm flights 43 for preventing the material in the press from merely rotating with the impeller instead of being axially forced through the press, as with the corresponding plate and breaker bar members 46 and 49 in main cage 12. Around the outside of members 90 and 91 are axially spaced ribs 160, similar to ribs 22 in main section 12, provided with coolant circulation channels. Spaces between'the ribs 10% provide drainage channels for liquid expressed outwardly from between screen bars 92 to run intov the liquid collecting trough 20.

Each of the cage members 90 and 91 carries at the top thereof a plurality of spaced lugs 1-01 and 162 adapted to interfit and cooperate with each other in the manner of a hinge, the lugs 101 and 192 being axially bored to receive a pin 105 therethrough. As indicated particularly in FIG. 3, pin 105 is also received in split cage bracket 63 for suspending the two members 90 and 91pivotally from bracket 63 in face-to-face relation meeting along a longitudinal vertical diametric plane. According to this construction, the two halves 90 and 91- of the split cage section may be opened by pivoting about pin 105 for cleaning or other necessary access to the screw collars in the extension sections 13 and/ or the screen bars 71 or 92 without disassembling the entire press construction.

In operative position, however, the two halves '90 and- 91 of the split cage section are held together in face-toface relation against expressing pressure by a plurality of bolts 110 received in passages 111 adjacent the upper and lower portion of the cage members 90 and 91, similarly to the bolts 21 in main cage 12. Additionally, the inlet end of the cage members 30 and 31 carries an ear 115. for attachment to split cage bracket 63 by bolts 116, while the discharge end of cage members 90 and 91 carries a. similar car 117 for attachment to the other end of split cage bracket 63 by bolts 118.

The discharge cone assembly comprises an adjustable discharge cone 14 having a cone tip 120' for varying and restricting the size of discharge orifice 121 around the beveled portion 122 of collar 52' upon axial movement of cone 14 and. cone tip 120. Cone 14 is threadably engaged at 125 with cone bracket 126 mounted on the dischargeend of split cage bracket 63 by bolts 127. Thus, upon rotation, cone 14 and cone tip 126 will be axially moved with respect to shaft .-5 by means of the threaded engagement at 125 with the stationary bracket 126. Such rotation of cone 14 is accomplished by means of worm gear 130; engaging the gearing 131 around the outside of, cone 14, worm gear 133 being controlledby suitable meanssuch as handwheel 132 operating through shaft 135. Handwheel 132 may be changed from shaft 135 to shaft 136 where it operates shaft 135' through gears 137 and 138 to obtain a different mechanical advantage for coarse and, rapid adjustment of cone 14, the fine adjustment of the cone being obtained by handwheel 132rnounteddirectly on shaft 135.

The further cone 14 is advanced to the left in FIG. 3, the more constricted will be the discharge orifice 120, and the greater the pressure exerted on material being processed, it being understood that the compressed deliquefied or solid material or cake is. discharged throughthe discharge orifice 120 and out of the press from discharge cone 14.

As an alternative to the manual adjustment of cone 14 by handwheel 132 and its gearing as shown in FIG, 5, an automatic motor driven gear adjustment may be provided. As indicated in FIG. 12, such an arrangement includes motor 140 with suitable gear drive 141 mounted on bracket 142, instead of handwheel 132 and gears 137 and 138, to drive worm gear 130 providing for rotation of cone 14. In such automatic control, limit switches 145 and 146', are preferably provided. Switch 145 is operative to stop motor 140 when the cone 14 is run outwardly sufficiently for the edge thereof to bear against operating contact 147 of switch 145. Similarly, switch 146 is operative to shut 011 motor 140 when cone 14 is run in sufficiently for the groove 148therein to operate pivot arm 149 sufficiently to press the operating contact 150 of switch 146. Both these limit switches are primarily safety switches to preclude the inadvertent adjustment too far out to disengage its threaded engagement at 125 or so far in that it bears fn'ctionally against the beveled surface 122 of collar 52-to damage themachinery or jam the press.

These limit switches 145 and 146 also make it unnecessary for an operator who may be attending a plurality of expressing presses to waitat each press for the cone 14 thereof to be run all the way in or all the way out after motor hasbeen started, since the limit switches and 146 will arrest the motion of the cone before the operating limits of the cone are reached. Furthermore, limit switch 146 maybe provided with a shim 151 of predetermined thickness which is hinged at 152 and" maybe inserted between pivot arm 145 and switch contact to operate switch 146-to stop motor 140' whena predetermined positioning of cone 14 is attempted: A further safety arrangement is provided by limit switch 155 which is operated to stop the main drive motor 10 and the entire press mechanism should its operating contact 157 be contacted by collar 1560a mainshaft 45 as by breaking or excessive heat expansion of shaft 45.

It will thus be seen that a construction is provided by the present invention in which extension cage sections of substantial axial extent may be readily added to. existing presses. Furthermore, the first extension section, comprising screen bars 71 and collar 41, etc., is -a con.- tinuous or non-split unit having the bars 71 of substantially full radial height, as compared to the screen-1 bars in themain cage 12, and substantially: the; same dimensions as the standard bars in main cage 12, yet extending substantially through main frame portion 17 for continuous feeding of the material being processed from main cage 12 and for continuous drainage of the expressed liquid from the material as expressing pressure is continuously applied and maintained. Also a split extension cage section is provided with screenbars 92 surrounding collars 31, 32, and 42 and adaptedto be opened for freeaccess to the interior of the cage, as with main cage 12, for cleaning out the press should it be stopped under load.

Whereas the main shaft 45 of the construction. heretofore described is somewhat different from. the main: shaft of a press having, for example, only the four sections or main cage 12 without the extension cages 13, it. may be desired to convert an existing four-section press to one embodying the extension-cage construction described. The main shaft of such existing presses, however, may. indeed be almost as long as the main shaft 45 heretofore described, although the threaded portion thereof for affixing the retaining nut 50 may be atladifferent: axial position on the shaft because of the construction of the existing press not including an extension-cage- A modified construction particularly adapted for theconversion of such existing presses is indicated in FIG. 13- in which the main shaft 45a is shown in the manner ofthe main shafts of existing presses without extension cages and having a threaded retaining nut receiving portion 160 located axially in a position approximately corresponding to the collar 51 in FIG. 3. A satisfactory adapter-unit construction for converting such a press is, as indicated in FIG. 13, to provide a one-piece sleeve the outer surface of which is configured to correspondtothe combination of collars 51, 31, 42, 32, and 52 as'well'as nut Stlwith its neck portion 53 as an integral unit instead of having the various collars separate. By providing threads on the integral bore of such a unit as indicated at FIG. 13, the entire unit can be threaded onto the existing shaft 45a at its existing threaded connection 160 rather than supplying an entirely new shaft 45 to receive the various collars separately and with new or additional threads to receive retaining nut 50.

Both the nonspli-t and the split extension cage sections are provided with means for circulating coolant therethrough for temperature control of the material being processed to prevent damage to the quality of the prod= ucts from excessive heating resulting from high pressures and friction. Satisfactory results have been obtained by using, as such coolant circulating. means, generally the same arrangement as for the maincage-section and/or as indicated'in the aforementioned patent to Upton, 2,320,765. It has also beennoted that a given material in a given size press is subjected to greater expressing pressures if the temperature of the material is main tained at a relatively low level, apparently because as the temperature of the material increases, the material more readily (i.e., with less friction) passes through the press with less oil being expressed. Since friction appears to be a greater temperature increasing factor than pressure alone, the temperature of the material can be quite accurately controlled and maintained below a maximum temperature at which the particular material being processed would become detrimentally aifected.

It should also be noted that the diameter of the various pressure collars 26-32, etc., are correlated with the substantially uniform and constant inside diameter of the main cage 12 and extension cage section 13 to provide an initial low pressure expressing stage where material being processed is subjected in large volume to a relativelylow pressure for expressing quickly the usual initial gush of easily expressed fluid. As the material loses the bulk of its liquid and becomes more firmly compacted and of lesser volume, it is passed continuously from the low pressure stage to a high pressure stage where it is subjected to greater pressures to recover the remaining recoverable oil.

Generally the low pressure stage of the press may be considered as extending axially through the zone in which the fluid content of the material being processed is reduced to approximately 8% to 12%. Being relatively free, the bulk of recoverableliquid is expressed in a zone of the press in which the cross sectional area available for the material to pass between the impeller and the drainage cage is approximately twice or more the cross sectional area available for the material to pass through the high pressure stage of the rest of the axial extent of the press. In FIG. 2, for example, the axial extent of the low pressure stage has been indicated at L, a short transition stage from low to high pressure at T, with the remainder of the press being the high pressure stage H. It will also be noted that the cross sectional area at the end of the transition zone is no more than approximately /2 the cross sectional area of the low pressure stage.

In a four-section press for cottonseed oil, for example '(i.e., a press having the main cage 12 and only the feed and pressure collars appearing to the left of end frame 17 inFIG. 2), the ratio between the axial extents of the high and low pressure stages has heretofore been approximately 1:1 to maintain a satisfactory throughput of material of satisfactory quality. In the construction shown in FIG. 2, by contrast, the axial extent of the high pressure stage is more than double that of the low pressure stage. Thus, according to the invention, satisfactory results are obtained by coordinating, depending upon the particular material to be processed, the ratio between low and high pressure stages such that the axial extent of the high pressure stage is substantially more than 1% times that of the low pressure stage, and preferably from 1 /2 to 2 /2 times or more. Furthermore, all of the drainage cage sections are provided with means for cooling or otherwise controlling the temperature of the material being processed through the press to maintain the temperature of the expressed liquid at no more than a predetermined value below which a satisfactory product is obtained notwithstanding the substantially greater extent and time in which the material is subjected to high pressure action.

As noted, the specific ratios, as well as the correlation of feed and pressure worm diameter with drainage cage diameter will depend in large measure on the particular material being processed to provide a low pressure stage for reducing the retained liquid content of the material being processed to approximately 8% to 12% by weight through across sectional area at least twice that of a following high pressure stage, and these various ratios and dimensions obtain whether a new press is constructed having all the expressing sections within the main frame or whether an existing press is converted by the addition of one or more extension cage sections.

The construction shown is particularly adapted to such materials as cottonseed meats or flaxseed, the oil content of which materials is roughly 35% With such materials, for example, approximately 70% to of the recoverable oil is expressed in the low pressure stage. With materials higher in oil content, such as copra, for example, a longer low pressure stage is indicated to reduce the oil content of the material entering the high pressure stage to 8% to 12%. Nevertheless, in applying the invention to a press particularly adapted to such higher oilbearing materials, the axial extent of the high pressure stage is substantially increased. For example, whereas such material has been heretofore processed through presses in which the low pressure stage may be as much as 1% times the length of the high pressure stage, this ratio is altered according to the invention to make the axial extent of the high pressure stage for such materials at least as great or greater than the low pressure stage.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid expressing press of the character described having a main section including main drainage cage screen bars and a main end frame, the combination which comprises an extension expressing cage, means for mounting said extension cage coaxially with said main cage and beyond said end frame, a plurality of drainage screen bars in said extension cage of substantially the same radial height as said main drainage cage screen bars, and means on said main end frame for mounting said extension cage screen with said bars extending through said main end frame providing a continuous expressing pressure and drainage passage through said main section and said extension cage.

2. An extension cage construction for an expressing press of the character described having a main expressing section and a main end frame of substantial thickness, which comprises in combination a first extension cage section, a plurality of screen bars in said first extension section, means for mounting said first section screen bars in operative expressing position in axial continuation of said main expressing section, means for maintaining an expressing pressure on material passing from said main expressing section into said first extension cage section, a second extension cage section circumferentially divided into a plurality of parts, a plurality of screen bars in said second section, means for mounting a portion of said second section screen bars in each said cage part, means interconnecting said cage parts for movement from a closed position to an open position providing access to the interior thereof, locking means for maintaining said cage parts in said closed position against the action of the expressing pressure, and means for mounting said second extension section on said press in cooperative coaxial position with said first extension section providing a continuous drainage cage extension.

3. In an expressing press of the character described having a main expressing section and a main end frame of substantal thickness, the combination which comprises a first extension cage section, a plurality of screen bars in said first extension section, means for mounting said first section screen bars in coaxial continuation of said main section and extending through said main end frame for maintaining an expressing pressure on material passing from said main expressing section into said first exe i C ge section, a second extension cage section, a

plurality of screen bars in said second section, a pair of substantially semicylindrical bracket members for said second section screen bars, means for mounting part of said second section screen bars in each said semicylindrical bracket member, hinge means interconnecting said pair of bracket members for pivotal movement from a closed position in face-to-face interfitting arrangement to an open position, locking means for maintaining said bracket members in said closed face-to-face position against the action of the expressing pressure, means for mounting said second extension section on said main end frame in cooperative coaxial continuation of said first extension section providing a continuous drainage cage extension, and means for cooling said extension sections.

4. An adapter unit for extending the length of the impeller of a fiuid expressing press of the character described having a main shaft shorter than said extended impeller length and carrying a plurality of impeller collars extending along a portion of the length thereof and affixed by locking means spaced from fhe free end of said shaft, said unit comprising a sleeve for interfitting engagement over said free end of said shaft, the outer surface of said sleeve being configured to conform to the outer surfaces of a series of impeller collars, and means on said sleeve for locking engagement with said locking means on said main shaft for afiixing said sleeve and said impeller collars on said shaft against axial displacement, said sleeve extending a substantial distance along said shaft toward said free end thereof and beyond said locking means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,315 Anderson Aug. 21, 1906 1,926,504 Njzn Sept. 12, 1933 2,320,765 Upton June 1, 1943 2,335,819 Upton Nov. 30, 1943 2,421,763 Simon June 10, 1947 2,687,084 Bowman Aug. 24, 1954 2,739,526 Hobbs Mar. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 39,027 Switzerland Jan. 2, 1907 47,437 Germany June 21, 1889 80,025 Austria Feb. 10, 1920 

